Portland Foreside | 58 Fore Street | Portland

[NR2Portland]

Walking through this evening, I noticed this massing model prominently displayed in the window next to the main entrance of the Sun Life building:

No idea how current this is – note that it doesn't show any changes on the Fore Street properties discussed above that are part of the most recent site plan application.

Also, the new stairway between the plaza and Fore Street is open to the public:

Very cool! That stairway turned out well with the lighting. Any idea when the residential side of things is scheduled to break ground? Or whatever the next phase is.

 

[nomc]

Walking through this evening, I noticed this massing model prominently displayed in the window next to the main entrance of the Sun Life building:

No idea how current this is – note that it doesn't show any changes on the Fore Street properties discussed above that are part of the most recent site plan application.

Also, the new stairway between the plaza and Fore Street is open to the public:

I notice they're showing that bit of steel structure they didn't demolish with the recent site work - I wonder what the plan is for that. Maybe they already have something in mind for that end retail/restaurant unit?

For some reason I'm having a tough time visualizing how the B6 massing would fit in the existing parcel - I wonder if they're going to try and buy some of the land from the owner of 13/19 Eastern Prom. The model looks way deeper than what I remember was shown on the MDP. That parking lot that off the back side of the EP properties is where I was the core drilling crew not too long ago - I thought it was just to figure out how to keep the hill in place with the new construction, but maybe they're removing some of the hill.

Also, I'm curious about the corridor between B4 and B5 - have the developers mentioned an intention for this to be lined with retail/restaurants or is this going to be a garage wall on one side and who knows on the other? Is there some reason that there has to be garage access on this level? So residents of B6 can get groceries in? Is there any reason there can't be a second garage entrance on the east side of B4 on Fore St? Worried about traffic on Fore St? All being equal, my preference is that car access should stop at Building 12 and all access to the B4 is off Fore St.

I also don't remember the corridor between B4 and B5 being raised - but looking on the IMDP I see that it may have been indicated there. I think the site is pretty flat as it sits now so I'm wondering what the transition from Building 12 grade would look like.

Like cneal said, maybe this is isn't current, although if it isn't current thinking why would they have a model in the entrance to Sun Life?

Lots of questions this morning.

 

[markhb]

Is that model essentially all to the east of SunLife and Twelve?

 

[cneal]

For some reason I'm having a tough time visualizing how the B6 massing would fit in the existing parcel - I wonder if they're going to try and buy some of the land from the owner of 13/19 Eastern Prom. The model looks way deeper than what I remember was shown on the MDP. That parking lot that off the back side of the EP properties is where I was the core drilling crew not too long ago - I thought it was just to figure out how to keep the hill in place with the new construction, but maybe they're removing some of the hill.

Now that you mention this, I think you're right – this model does reflect some encroachment on the 13/19 Eastern Prom property. It's a bit hard to tell from my photo, but in person, it's clear that the back of the easternmost building is a straight line that's roughly co-planar with the fronts of the four other smaller building masses to the west (the ones along Fore Street).

This is different from the master plan approved in 2016, which featured a sort of H-shaped building in that location to work around the property line of 13/19 Eastern Prom, with its deep backyard:

http://me-portland.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4408?fileID=19045

So based on this, it looks like they might plan to keep the buildings along Fore Street, but use those properties' backyards/parking lots.

 

[TC_zoid]

I think the city has to be a bit tough with them. It looks like they are aiming for a purely upscale development for the rich, and perhaps that's why Jim Brady left the partnership. I'm concerned it will be what Rowe's Wharf in Boston became--for the rich only. If so, it will be largely dormant for five months of the year. They operated the marina bar in 2020 and 2021 without the proper permitting, and so it was unable to open for the public this summer. They don't appear to be forthcoming with details. I will predict that many or most of the condos will list for over one million. Did you see the website? The site wallpaper has an image of the super yacht that docked this past summer with the helicopter on board. There's no implication in that. It's straight forward. The development must have the stairway and waterfront esplanade access for the public, at the very least. That way, you can be relatively up close to make it an easier dream about that yacht.

 

[PlantArch]

Walking through this evening, I noticed this massing model prominently displayed in the window next to the main entrance of the Sun Life building:

No idea how current this is – note that it doesn't show any changes on the Fore Street properties discussed above that are part of the most recent site plan application.

Also, the new stairway between the plaza and Fore Street is open to the public:

Just plain cold. As a landscape designer I would have incorporated much more plant material into the hardscape design. Portland has a critical problem with their mindset concerning urban planning and design. There is absolutely no thought put into integrating green space into the built environment to create truly livable spaces. It's all brick, granite and metal enhanced with powerlines.

 

[GIL]

Just plain cold. As a landscape designer I would have incorporated much more plant material into the hardscape design. Portland has a critical problem with their mindset concerning urban planning and design. There is absolutely no thought put into integrating green space into the built environment to create truly livable spaces. It's all brick, granite and metal enhanced with powerlines.

Isn’t it too late in this zone to plant? All the renderings for this area included plantings so it seems likely they would get planted in … April/May?

 

[cneal]

Just plain cold. As a landscape designer I would have incorporated much more plant material into the hardscape design. Portland has a critical problem with their mindset concerning urban planning and design. There is absolutely no thought put into integrating green space into the built environment to create truly livable spaces. It's all brick, granite and metal enhanced with powerlines.

You should call them and get them to hire you! Care to show off any of your local work here?

IMHO the built-out public spaces in this project are actually quite well done, even if I think the rest of the project is trying too hard to pander to obnoxious wealth. The staircase photo above is still surrounded by active construction (all the historic buildings on the right are being worked on) so it's not really a fair characterization of the project as a whole. This space is also envisioned to be an active plaza, not a suburban lawn, and I think it'll be more attractive once the edges of the plaza are activated with the planned retail spaces.

The new Thames Street extension streetscape looks great along the front of the Sun Life building, even though it was only completed this summer in a severe drought.

The landscape architect on this is Michael Boucher, who does excellent work all over the world:

michael boucher landscape architecture (MBLA)

Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture (MBLA) is a design firm specializing in collaborations with modern architects.

www.boucherlandscape.com

 

[DanielPWM19]

Just plain cold. As a landscape designer I would have incorporated much more plant material into the hardscape design. Portland has a critical problem with their mindset concerning urban planning and design. There is absolutely no thought put into integrating green space into the built environment to create truly livable spaces. It's all brick, granite and metal enhanced with powerlines.

A good example of green space is behind One Portland Square.

 

[Portlander]

I agree Daniel, its a hidden oasis that is always shady in the summer and I have a feeling that very few people even know about it. The small park to the left and rear of the First Parish Church on Congress Street is also another secret spot to escape the noise and bustle of the city!

 

[DanielPWM19]

I agree Daniel, its a hidden oasis that is always shady in the summer and I have a feeling that very few people even know about it. The small park to the left and rear of the First Parish Church on Congress Street is also another secret spot to escape the noise and bustle of the city!

When I worked at TD at One Portland Square from 2003-06, I used to have lunches out back in the summer/fall. I still take a sit back there when I have ice cream and strolling with a friend. It's a nice spot that not many people know about.

 

[nomc]

Forgot to post this last week - almost all the temporary sheds have been removed. One remains, I assume for marina ops/security? Does anyone know what the plan is? Is there a plan? Were they forced to take them down? I can't remember.

 

[Cosakita18]

Does anyone know what the plan is? Is there a plan?

You have way too much faith in the competence of this development team....

 

[nomc]

You have way too much faith in the competence of this development team....

Oh I know, I didn't mean PLAN. Let me rephrase: does anyone know whats happening/going to happen?

 

[DanielPWM19]

Oh I know, I didn't mean PLAN. Let me rephrase: does anyone know whats happening/going to happen?

I mean what they SHOULD do is sell the back half lots, finish the front end, and let someone else develop the rest.

 

[nomc]

Noticed there is some CSS activity - no plans yet. A minor site plan amendment - the "more info" tab is the only info, but it says "new building construction." We'll see what this actually means - they list the number of structures going from 13 to 6. As this is an MDP amendment, I hope the change is related to recently demolished shacks and not a change in plans to the entire project. The second thing I see in CSS is an IZ review - it looks like they are going to propose market rate units instead of paying the fee. The only available IZ review info lists 25 one bedroom units.

 

[Max]

They've added a few renderings as part of their application, but without any campus-wide establishing shots it's hard for me to really envision what's being proposed here.

 

[nomc]

Conceptual renderings don't look bad - we'll see what it ultimately ends up looking like!

 

[GIL]

@Max the renderings/elevations appear to be these hillside and waterfront buildings in this overall illustration from 58fore.com.

 

[nomc]

The circled ones in @GIL image are Block 4 (included, parking and Fore St townhomes) and Block 5 (not included). The conceptual renderings above are of Block 6, which is the chunk of buildings nearest to Portland House.